Display container



1964 D. R. PERDUE ETAL 3,157,280

DISPLAY CONTAINER Filed 001:. 21, 1965 I INVENTOR5 001/14 R Perdue,

John /7. Perv/WE.

Ric hamao/r M. Per-due WMwu AT TORNE Y United States Patent G M 3,157,280 DISPLAY CONTAINER David R. Perdue, John A. Perdue Hi, and Richardson M. Perdue, all The Perdne (30., Inc, 209 W. 2nd Ave, Pine Blufi, Ark.

Filed Oct. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 317,526 2 Claims. (Cl. 206-78) This invention relates to a container for packaging and displaying a count or weight of an article that is usually merchandised in bulk.

Articles of this type have not only been diflicult to display, but require the merchants time in counting, weighing, selling and sacking such merchandise. These difliculties have been solved in part by the advent of the hot bubble packaging of merchandise in the individual quantities in which they are usually dispensed. Hot bubble packaging, While satisfactory from the viewpoint of the merchant, is not as desirable for the customer, because it does not afford the customer an opportunity to examine the product in his own hand, since it is necessary to destroy the bubble in order to remove a single article. If the customer does not make the purchase, then the loose articles offer a problem to the merchant. Also, since it is necessa y to destroy the bubble, the customer does not have a container in which the articles that are not immediately used can be stored.

The above defects in the hot bubble packaging of merchandise have been solved in part by a type of container known as a sliding blister or bubble. With this type of container, the customer may slide the transparent cover of the package on its support to remove one or more of the articles for hand inspection. Then, if the customer does not make a purchase, the merchant may replace the article and slide the transparent cover to closed position, after which the package may be again placed on display.

It has been found that the sliding type of blister or cover does not lend itself to easy handling or shipping, because when more or less heavy articles are enclosed therein the blister shifts to open position under weight of the merchandise and the articles are spilled therefrom. This is particularly the case when the blister is held upside down or hung in a display rack. Another disadvantage is that any crushing of the blister during shipping or handling results in warping of the ends thereof, to permit loss of articles from the container.

With the above in mind, the present invention provides a container of the sliding blister type in which the product is completely visible; which allows the customer to examine the product in his own hand; which permits the product to be reinserted in the package, either by the prospective customer or by the merchant in case the customer does not make a purchase; and in which the blister is positively locked in closed position.

In carrying out the invention, the container includes a substantially stiff cardboard body on which the blister is slidably mounted and securely locked at each end to prevent sliding thereof from off the cardboard body. The lock means also resists buckling and warping of the container away from the card in case the blister is crushed during shipment.

In accomplishing the objects of the invention, we have provided improved structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordance with the present invention, and showing the transparent pocket member thereof locked on the supporting member.

FIG. 2 is a similar view, but showing the lower end of the card flexed to release the lower lock, so that the blister may be slid over the lock.

3,5728% Patented Nov. 17, 196% FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rear side of the container, showing the transparent pocket member moved on the support member to open up an access opening through which one or more of the articles may be removed for hand inspection.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section, showing the release of the bottom lock, the open position of the transparent pocket member being shown by the dotted lines.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section through the container on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a transverse section of the line 66 of FIG. 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a display package constructed in accordance with the present invention, and includes a backing member 2 and a member 3 that is slidable upon the backing member and which has a pocket for containing articles of merchandise to be displayed in quantity or weight in which such articles are usually sold.

The backing member 2 consists of generally elongated rectangular sheet material such as, for example, cardboard, of sufficient stiffness to retain its shape, but which is pliable to form an important part of the present invention, as later to be described. The backing member 2 thus has parallel side edges 4 and 5, a bottom edge 6, and a top edge 7. The corners between the top edge '7 and side edges 4 and 5 are preferably rounded, as indicated at 8. Formed in the backing member 2 slightly below the top edge 7 is an aperture 9 for hanging the package on a display rack or the like, not shown since it forms nopart of the present invention.

The article containing member 3 is known as a bubble or blister, in that it is formed of transparent plastic material, molded or otherwise shaped to provide a preferably thin-walled cup-shaped body 10, providing a pocket 11 for containing the articles of merchandise. The cupshaped body 10 may be of various shapes, but is shown in the drawing as having a substantially rectangular front wall 12 integrally connected at the edges thereof with marginal side walls 13 and 14 and top and bottom walls 15 and 16, all joined on rounding curves as indicated at 1'7. The pocket thus provided is of less width than the width of the backing member 2, and of less height than the length of the backing member, so that an open back side 18 of the cup-shaped body is closed when the cup-shaped body is mounted on the backing member 2.

In order to secure the cup-shaped body to the backing member, the side walls 13 and 14 have laterally extending flanges l9 and 20, and the top and bottom walls have transverse flanges 2,1 and 22 integrally joining with the side flanges, so that the flanges provide lateral side and upper and lower transverse marginal portions seating flatly in contact with the front face 23 of the backing member. The side flanges 119 and 2-3 are curved around the side edges 4 and 5 of the backing member, and have preferably coextensive flange portions 24 and 25' engaging marginal portions of the rear face 26 of the backing member, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. The flanges 9 and It at the front face thus cooperate with the flange portions 24 and 25 that engage the rear face of the back ing member, to form grooved slides for the edges 4 and 5 for retaining the members 2 and 3 in assembly and to provide relative sliding movement therebetween for uncovering or partially uncovering the open side 13 of the member 3, as shown in FIG. 3, for inserting the articles of merchandise into the pocket and for removing one or more of the articles therefrom for inspection in the hands of a purchaser.

It has been found that when the articles of merchandise are of relatively heavy weight, they cause the membet 3 to slip downwardly of the backing member when the display packages are handled or hung on a display u) rack, thus spilling the articles of merchandise from the pocket that is opened up below the bottom edge 6. Also, it has been found that during shipping the outwardly bulging part of the member 3 may be crushed, to distort the transverse flanges 21 and 22, to permit the articles to spill out of the pocket. In order to overcome these difliculties, the backing member 2 is provided with cuts 27 and 28, which may be of arcuate shape, to provide tabs 2? and 30 for engaging over the transverse flanges 21 and 22, as shown in FIG. 1, to lock the member 3 from movement on the backing member and to anchor the transverse flanges to the backing member 2.

With the tabs 2 and 38 in the plane of the backing member, as shown in FIG. 3, the member 3 may he slid upon the backing member so that the transverse flanges of the member 3 may move across the tabs. The member 3 is preferably applied to the backing member 2 by sliding it thereon from the lower end of the backing member until the upper transverse flange or marginal portion 21 substantially reaches the cut 27, whereupon the tab 29 will be pushed outwardly from the front face of the backing member, to cause the upper transverse flange or marginal portion 21 to enter thereunder and be stopped thereby. At this position of the member 3 on the backing member, the lower transverse flange substantially registers over the lower tab 39, and in order to engage the tab 30 with the lower transverse flange 22, the lower marginal edge of the backing member projects below the article containing member to provide a finger gripping portion so that it can be flexed backwardly, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, to cause the tab 39 to slip from under the lower transverse flange, after which the flexed portion of the backing member is released, which effects engagement of the tab over the front face of the lower transverse flange or marginal portion 22, as shown in FIG. 1. It is thus apparent that the member 3 is locked in fixed position on the backing member, to retain closure of the open side 18 of the pocket during shipping and while the package 1 is on display,

In order that one or more articles of merchandise may be removed for inspection in the hand of a prospective purchaser, the lower projecting portion of the backing member is again gripped between the thumb and finger and flexed rearwardly, as shown in FIG. 4-, which action removes the tab 39 from over the lower transverse flange 22 and out of the path of the member 3, as shown in FIG. 4. After release of the flexed portion it swings back into the plane of the backing member and the member 3 may then be slid downwardly on the backing member to open up a part of the open backed pocket below the bottom edge 6, as shown in FIG. 3, so as to remove one or more of the articles for inspection. In case the prospective customer should not make the purchase, the merchant can replace the articles in the pocket and slide the member 3 to the position where the upper transverse flange 21 thereof is stopped by and engaged under the upper tab 29. Then by flexing the lower marginal edge of the backing member, as shown in FIG. 2, the tab is withdrawn from under the lower transverse flange, and upon release thereof the tab 36 engages over the outer face of the lower transverse flange 22, to again lock the member 3 upon the backing member 2. The package may then be returned to the display rack in as good a condition as before. If a purchase is made, the locks at the respective ends of the member 3 also permit the purchaser to remove the articles as needed and retain the unused articles as before.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is:

l. A display container adapted to hang from a rack, including a flat card of elongated rectangular shape and having e longer edges extending continuously parallel from the top portion of the card to the bottom edge, an article container having an open backed pocket portion extending outwardly of a front face of the card and having front and marginal walls terminating in laterally extending side, top and bottom portions in bearing contact with the face of the card and framing the open back of the pocket portion,

said side marginal portions having reversely extending side flanges to provide grooves receiving therein the side edges of the card to slidably retain the article container on the card,

said article container being of less height than the card to leave an upper projecting portion of the card for hanging the display container from the rack, a stop on said upper portion of the card engaging the upper transverse margin of said article container, said card having a relatively short lower finger gripping portion projecting below the lower transverse margin of the article container when the upper transverse margin is engaging said upper stop and the card is closing the open back of the pocket portion,

said card having a slit in said lower portion thereof and having ends extending in the direction of the bottom edge of the card and terminating near the bottom edge of the lower transverse margin of said article container to provide a tongue slightly overlapping the bottom transverse margin cooperating with said stop in retaining said article container immovable on the card, and

said lower projecting end of the card being flexible at a point in substantial registry with the bottom edge of the lower transverse margin to swing the tab formed by said tongue out of engagement to slide the container downwardly on said card and over the tongue after the bottom edge of said card is released to swing back into plane with the card for projecting the open back of the pocket beyond the lower edge of the card for unrestricted discharge of articles from the open back of said article container.

2. A display container adapted to hang from a rack,

including a flat card of elongated rectangular shape and having the longer edges extending continuously parallel from the top portion of the card to the bottom edge,

an article container having an open backed pocket portion extending outwardly of a front face of the card and having front and marginal walls terminating in laterally extending side, top and bottom portions in bearing contact with the face of the card and fram ing the open back of the pocket portion,

said side marginal portions having reversely extending side flanges to provide grooves receiving therein the side edges of the card to slidably retain the article container on the card,

said article container being of less height than the card to leave an upper projecting portion of the card for hanging the display container from the rack,

said upper projecting portion of the card having an arcuate slit therein to provide a stop tongue engaging over the upper transverse margin of said article container,

said card having a relatively short lower finger gripping portion projecting below the lower transverse margin of the article container when the upper transverse margin is engaged by the stop tongue and the card is closing the open back of the pocket portion,

said lower finger gripping portion of said card having an arcuate slit arranged reversely to said upper slit with ends of said slit extending in the direction of the bottom edge of the card and terminating near the bottom edge of the lower transverse margin of said article container to provide a lower tongue slightly overlapping the bottom transverse margin cooperating with said stop tongue in retaining said article container immovable on the card, and

said lower projecting end of the card being flexible at a point in substantial registry with the bottom edge of the lower transverse margin of the article container to swing the said lower tongue out of engagement with said lower transverse margin to slide the container downwardly on said card and over the lower tongue after the bottom edge of said card is released to swing back into plane with the card for projecting the open back of the pocket beyond the lower edge of the card for unrestricted discharge of articles from the open back of said article container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Harvey Sept. 18, 1951 Brown Mar. 21, 1961 Kahn May 23, 1961 Haecker May 29, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Aug. 8, 1951 France Feb. 22, 1960 France Feb. 20, 1961 

1. A DISPLAY CONTAINER ADAPTED TO HANG FROM A RACK, INCLUDING A FLAT CARD OF ELONGATED RECTANGULAR SHAPE AND HAVING THE LONGER EDGES EXTENDING CONTINUOUSLY PARALLEL FROM THE TOP PORTION OF THE CARD TO THE BOTTOM EDGE, AN ARTICLE CONTAINER HAVING AN OPEN BACKED POCKET PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF A FRONT FACE OF THE CARD AND HAVING FRONT AND MARGINAL WALLS TERMINATING IN LATERALLY EXTENDING SIDE, TOP AND BOTTOM PORTIONS IN BEARING CONTACT WITH THE FACE OF THE CARD AND FRAMING THE OPEN BACK OF THE POCKET PORTION, SAID SIDE MARGINAL PORTIONS HAVING REVERSELY EXTENDING SIDE FLANGES TO PROVIDE GROOVES RECEIVING THEREIN THE SIDE EDGES OF THE CARD TO SLIDABLY RETAIN THE ARTICLE CONTAINER ON THE CARD, SAID ARTICLE CONTAINER BEING OF LESS HEIGHT THAN THE CARD TO LEAVE AN UPPER PROJECTING PORTION OF THE CARD FOR HANGING THE DISPLAY CONTAINER FROM THE RACK, A STOP ON SAID UPPER PORTION OF THE CARD ENGAGING THE UPPER TRANSVERSE MARGIN OF SAID ARTICLE CONTAINER, SAID CARD HAVING A RELATIVELY SHORT LOWER FINGER GRIPPING PORTION PROJECTING BELOW THE LOWER TRANSVERSE MARGIN OF THE ARTICLE CONTAINER WHEN THE UPPER TRANSVERSE MARGIN IS ENGAGING SAID UPPER STOP AND THE CARD IS CLOSING THE OPEN BACK OF THE POCKET PORTION, SAID CARD HAVING A SLIT IN SAID LOWER PORTION THEREOF AND HAVING ENDS EXTENDING IN HE DIRECTION OF THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE CARD AND TERMINATING NEAR THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE LOWER TRANSVERSE MARGIN OF SAID ARTICLE CONTAINER TO PROVIDE A TONGUE SLIGHTLY OVERLAPPING THE BOTTOM TRANSVERSE MARGIN COOPERATING WITH SAID STOP IN RETAINING SAID ARTICLE CONTAINER IMMOVABLE ON THE CARD, AND SAID LOWER PROJECTING END OF THE CARD BEING FLEXIBLE AT A POINT IN SUBSTANTIAL REGISTRY WITH THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE LOWER TRANSVERSE MARGIN TO SEING THE TAB FORMED BY SAID TONGUE OUT OF ENGAGEMENT TO SLIDE THE CONTAINER DOWNWARDLY ON SAID CARD AND OVER THE TONGUE AFTER THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID CARD IS RELEASED TO SWING BACK INTO PLANE WITH THE CARD IS RELEASED THE OPEN BACK OF THE POCKET BEYOND THE LOWER EDGE OF THE CARD FOR UNRESTRICTED DISCHARGE OF ARTICLES FROM THE OPEN BACK OF SAID ARTICLE CONTAINER. 